Cushioning device for printing-presses.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT.10. x912.

Patented M21123, 1914.

2 sums-sum 1.

WITNESSES:

A TTORIVE YJ R. MIBHLE.

CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

AYPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912.

Pai ented Mar. 3, 1914.

2 BBLIBTS-SHEET 2 WI TN E SSE 8:

cushioning cylinder is control may through the medium of i'aive on the the operation of said valve.-

1am 033"? RG33 role PRINTING-PEESSES.

Specification of Lette Patent.

lea tented Mar. 3, titties Application filed tieptember 10', R312. Serial No. 719,561.

tel-s of'refercnce marked the'eon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates fill'-CliSll1OIilI-ig means for printing presses, olthe hind in whichthe momentum of the reciprocating b d of the press is checked near the end of its sroke by means of an air cushion and the energy stored up in overcoming the monientnm, of the bed is utilized. for starting it in'the'opposite direction, and more especially to that class, or such. fiiBVlCQS emhrao cnshionin c linder and I r and in iati cylinder and a governor acting to control A mechanism this same general chars tcr illustrated my prior fiiettcrsl atent l lo. 3?? issued lilarch 16, 1886, and No. 389 3 issued April ll, 191i.

-. The object of the present invention is to iingrorc and simplify the construction of the devices of the character shown in said- Lei ters Patent in sereral respects, as *ill be hereinafter set forth, andthe invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustra e ing my invention, Figure 1 is a View in end elevation of aprinting press equipped with an air cushioning device embodying my invention; 2, ali'ragmcntary, longitudinal, detail section, of a printing press showing -thc air cushioning device and valve controh ling mechanism .071? the cylinders tnereot; Fig. 3. a detail plan View of the governor aiid its associated parts; Fig. a detail riciv, as seen from beneath, ot the inner end of one of theeushioning cylinders; Fig. 5, a detaii \itW of a casing \niich carries the air outlet -valve of the cyl lei, when rcinoied from said cylinde iiig. (5, a detail in the 1 face View oi the rota-Live valve member; and Fig. 7, a. View in side elevation of said valve member. I

The printing press,illnstrated is one of a v'eil known type of flat-bed presses compris ring a rotative impression cylinder 5, a reciprocating type-bed 6 and a main frame which said parts are supported, said frame embracing longitudinal side plates i", 7. The reciprocating bed 6 is given ei'idwise reciprocatory movement through the me dium of a well known form of actuating device, embracing a frame 8 which is attached to and depends from the bottom of the bed and extends longitudinally tliereof,' up Wardly and downwardly facing rack bars 8, 8 on said frame, a. gear Wheel 9 which into meshing engagement with either of the race: bars 8", 8, a shaft 10.011 which said gear wheel 9 18 mounted and crank arm 11 on said shaft 10, said crank arm being provid d with a crank pin tl adapted to, act:

in YQl'tied slots that are formed between the vertical end-members 8 8 of the frame 8 and oscillating members S ar-ranged inside of and parallel with said end-members. The mechanism shown also includes a horizontal rotatire shatt li'l carrying 3. 621111 13 which is engaged by a rock-arm 1+2, through which vertical movement is given, to thegear Wheel 9, as common in printing presses of this type. The rock arm H is provided with a cam roller 14 engaging the.eccentrically formed path of the cam 13, and thereby giving the adjacent extreniityof the arm l-i' a vertical reciprocatory movement. The rock arnl' l l is fulcruined at its upper end with a hearing shaft lei" mounted in a tween the extremities of the rock arm 14 and adjacent to the fulcrum points is rotatively mounted the shaft- 10, which reaches a similar and reduced vcrtically reciprocatirig movement due to the lever action of the rock arm ll.

The air cushioning cylinders 15, 15 are attached to the frame of the press near each end thereof. Two pairs of such cylinders are shown; the cylinders constituting each pair being located. at opposite sides of the central. longitudinal lineot' the press. fissociatcd with each cylinder 15 is apiston 1G horizontal position uponthe frame. Bc-

has vertical movement to bring the same which is secured to a horizontal, longitudiarm 28- provided nally extending piston rod 17. Said piston rod 17 carries at its opposite ends the two pistons belonging to one pair of cylinders, and is rigidly attached to the bed 6 by means of a rigid hanger or bracket 18, secured to and depending from said bed, and to which said piston rod is centrally attached. The arrangement of the cylinders and pistons is such that as the bed nears the end of its stroke in either direction, one of the pistons w ll enter its cushioning cylinder to compressa quantity of air therein acting to afford resistance to the momentum of the be the-air tliuscompressed expanding and exerting pressure upon the piston upon the reversal of the movement of the bed, to aid in overcomingthe inertla of the sanie.

v Each of the cylinders 1-5 is provided with an air outlet valve, indicated as a whole by "20, "mounted on the closed outer end of the cylinder, and with a plurality of air inlet valves, indicated as a whole by 21, located ,in the bottom wall of the cylinder adjacent to its outer end. The outlet valve 20 has the form of an oscillatory disk valve, while the inlet valves 21 have, the form of inwardly opening check .valves.

' Now, referring to the details of construction illustrated in each air outlet'valve 20, the-same is constructed as follows: The "movable member of the valve, as clearly seen 'in'Figs. 6 and 7, consists of a disk 25pm 'vided with a plurality of! annularly arranged ports or apertures having radial side margins. Said valve disk is attached to one nd ofa valve stem 27. To the opposite en of said tem is secured an actuating at. its outer end with a slotted or forked ivtreini-ty '29. The said valve disk is prefermly provided with a marginal stilfening or strengthening flange 25, and the ports 26 extend outwardly to the inner face of said 'fiange. The fixed member of the said valve consists of a hollow casing 30 which is secured by bolts to the end wall or head of the cylinder, and consists of parallel inner and outer walls 30 and 30? connected with each otherat' their side and top margins by an inte connecting wall 30. Said casing is verti: cally elongated and its upper part is ap Jlied over or covers a circular aperture 15 formed in th head of the cylinder, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. t. In the inner wall-30 of thesaid casing,'is formed a plurality of an iiilarly arranged ports corresponding with the ports 26 of the valve disk 25. Said cas ng is so applied/to the end wall of the cylinder that the upperpart of the inner wall 30 containing the ports 36, covers or closes the circular aperture 15" and the portion of said. inner wall in which said ports 3am formed, constitutes a seat, which faces inwardlv eas es toward the interior ,of the cylinder, for the valve disk A bear ng for the valve stem is provided in said casingSO by means the aperture 15*, as seen in Fig. 2 and iiidotted lines in Fig. l, The valve disk 25 is given oscillatory motion for opening orclosiiig the air outlet ports 33, the said ports being opened by turning the disk so as to bring the ports26 into position to register with said ports 33. By providiiigthe cylinder with an inwardly facing valve seat and locating the valve disk inside of the wall on which said valve seat is formed, said valve disk is held or pressed by the air pressure inthe cylinder against its seat, so that the airpressure tends to, maintain a tight joint between the valve disk and its said sea The air passing from the cylinder through 99 the ports 33 enters thelinterior of the casing 30 and is delivered in a downward direction through the open lower end of said casing;

this construction being employed to prevent thev delivery ofair in a direction which,

would be troublesome or objectionable in the operation of the machine.

The air outlet valves 20, associated with the four cushio'ning cylinders, are actuated tliiroughthe medium of two horizontal, l ongitudii'ially arranged rock-shafts 35. Each rock-shaft en'tendsat the sides of the two cylinders which are located in line n I with each other at opposite ends of the machiiie, constitutii one pair of cylinders, and said rocleslian has operative coni-iection at its ends with the valve disks 25, 25 belonging to, such cylinders. Atits end adjacent to each valve, said rock-shaft 35 is I mounted ina bracket arni made integral with and extendinglaterally from the casingBO (Figs. l and 5). One of said rock'- sliafts 35 has an intermediate bearing 'ii'ia bracket ai'mldl' (Figs. 1 and 2) on the machine frame. For transmittingmovement from each rock-shaft to each valve disk 25, said rock-shaft is provided at each end, outside of the bracket 36, with' a rigidly attached crank arm 38, provided with a stud or pin 3e? which engages the forked ext-remity 29 of the disk will be turned or oscillated to a degree corresponding with the rocking moven'ien'timpart-ed to t aid shaft! The two rock-shafts 35, 35, s verally associated with the two pairs of c linders at opposite sides of the machine, are so connected with each other'as to have corresponding degree of os-f The ineans shown for this purpose consists crank arm 38, so that the valve ill mean-es 39 rigidly secured to the rock-shafts and connected with each other by horizontal.

' connecting rod 40.

As a part of the devices by which the several air outlet valves are actuated, said valves are held normall in their 0 en osi- P tion by spring actuated means, which, in the machine illustrated, operate through the me dium of the said connecting rod 40 and the machine frame, said spring tending to move t is said rod endwise and to rotate the rockshafts 35 in one direction. A stop pin 42 on the bracket 37 serves, byv its contact with thearm 39 on one of said rock-shafts, to

limit the turning movement of both rockshafts under the action of said spring 41, so

"that the valve disks 25ers held normally in "position in which the several valve '33 are open or uncovered.

Now, referring to the devices employed for giving movement to the several'valve disks 25, in order to close the outlet valves and prevent the escape of air from the cylinders, means are provided as follows: To-

one of the rock-shafts 35 is secured a rigid arm 45 which extends downwardly and laterally from said rocloshaft. To the lower end or said arm 45 is pivotally connected a rod lG-which extends downward toward the base of the machine frame. A bracket 47 is, attached to the base of the machine frame and'is provided with two armsl and 47 Secured at its ends in said arms, and tending between the same (Figs. 1 and 3), is a fixed shaft 48 arranged adjacent to and parallel with the shaft 12, which extends across the machine frame and carries the "cam 13, by which vertical movement is given to the gear wheel 9, as hereinbefore described. On said shaft 48 is mounted a sleeve 49- Which is adapted to slide endwise, and also has oscillatory or rocking move ment on said shaft. Attached to said sleeve 49 is a rigid arm 50 which extends from. said sleeve laterally over the shaft 12. Mounted on said shaft 12 is a cam 51 provided with two oppositely-arranged, taperedcam projections 52, 52 adapted to act upon the said in 50 in a manner to give swinging or oscillatory motion to said arm. As preferably constructed, said arm 50 is provided. with an anttfric'tion roller 50 arranged. in a posh tion to act upon the said cam. lhe free end of said arm 50 is loosely connected or engaged with the lower end of the upright rod 46 in, such a manner that the ris ng and fallinn movement imparted to said arm 50 'by it; action'of the cam 51 is transmitted to the lower end oi the arm on the rooloshaft 35 andgives oscillatory movement to said rockshaft, Mounted on the fixed shaft 48 n; a

centrifugal-Weight governor which is driven ports or rotated-from the shaft 12, and whichacts to give endwise shifting movement to the sleeve ll) on said shaft, in, such a. manner as tovmove or shift the arm 50, on said sleeve, in a direction endwlse of said shaft 12 and the tapered cam 51. .As shown, said gover- .nor comprises a sleeve 55 adapted to turn on the shaft d8 but having no endWise .movement thereon, a second sleeve 56, which has both-rotative and endwise shifting movement on. said shaft, governor arms 57, 57 pivoted to sleeve 55 and carrying governor weights 58, 58, and links '59 which are pivotally connected with the outer ends of the arms 57 and with the endwise movable sleeve 56.

An expansively acting coiled spring 60 surrounds the shaft &8 between the sleeves 55 and '56 and by its endwise action on said sleeve 56, tends to hold the governor weights in their retracted position. The governor, embracing the parts described, is driven or rotated through the mediumof a gear pinion 61 on the sleeve 55 and a gearwheel 61 on the shaft 12. he endwise shifting sleeve 56 of the governor 15 so connected with the sleeve 49 as to trans- Init endwise shifting movement to said sleeve while permitting free rotative move ment of said sleeve 56 with the governor weights. As shown, said sleeve 56 is provided with a radial flange 56 which is engaged by an annular, grooved plate 49 attached to the adjacent flanged end of the said sleeve 49,213 seen in Fig. 1.

Referring to the details of construction in the air inlet valves 21, each of the cylinders 15 is shown as provided with three of such valves, having the form of upwardly open check valves, adapted to close by gravity and located adjacent to the inner end of the cylinder in. the bottom wall thereof. The threev valves illustrated are arranged in a line transverse to the central axis of the cylinder and are located in a horizontal wall extending across the rear end of the cylinder, and 'made integral with downward extensions of the cylindric wall and head or the cylinder. Each 'oi said' valves 21, as

more clearly shown in Fig. 2, consists of a :ducedin the cylinder by the outward move 'ment of the piston in saidcylinder.

So far asisconcerned the operation of the .mechanism described,.in tlieclosing-of the air Nos. 337,853 and 989,384 hereinbetore referrcd to) That is to say, the camel is i'0-' i-ngto the speed the bed be moving very slowlyaiidno c-ushioningefi'ect at all be required,- the air out-- jlet'valve will remain. openduring the entire outlet, valvcS,,-the same operates substantially in the same manner as set forth in Patents tatcd in unison with the reciprocating motion of the bed; 6 and is, therefore, timed in its movement with relation to the movement of the-piston 16, while the speed of the governor weights corresponds vwith the rate or rapidity of the movement of the bed; \Vhenthe roller 50? is engaged by the wider or larger part of the cam, the airoutlet valve 20 will be closed early in the inward stroke of the piston, and more air will be confined in the cylinder than occurs in the case when the said roller is atthejother ,ornarrowcr end of said cam. It follows, thatthe position of saidroller'50 with -i1e lation to the length ofithe cam determines the point inthe stroke of the piston at which the air out- .let 'va'lve closes, .wlien'the piston is moving inward in the cylinder; This positionof the roller relative to the cam is determined by the speed of r'otatioirof the governor,- which corresponds with the [speed of travel ofthe piston,,-a1 1d itv follows, thatxthe time-ofthe clos-.

variedaccord:

ing of said .outlet valve will be i 1 of 'the bed of the press.

stroke ofithe piston, thereby avoiding any vresistance whatsoever in starting the press. .A-t this'tin e the valve will be held. open its actuat ng spr ng and. the governor w ll turn so slowly as to leave the roller 50" .opposite the smaller part of the cam, which will then give-no closing movement to the however, the speed of i the presslis increased, the governor will Valve I come into ,action to. move. the roller 50 lengthwise of the cain'to a greateror less extent and the 'cam willltlien operate, through the intermediate mechanism described, tov close the valve at an earlieror later period inthe inward strokeof the piston, according to the-rate ofspeed oi": the" bed, so that the air willbe confined in the cylinder at 7 later period in the movement an earlier! or I oi'ithe piston and thereby produce a greater or less cushioning action, accordingto. the

'rateof movement of the bed. In the outward or return strokeof theniston, the air confined in the cylinder w-illserve to aid in overcoming the inertia of the bed, -but,-atter the expanding air reachesatmospheric pressure and as soon as tliepressure within the cylinder. becomes less than atmospheric presspite, the 'suction produced by the outward movement of the piston will effect the opening of the air inlet valves, permitting-the inflow of new; the cylinder,"and thereby preventing the formation of, a' partial vacuum an aconsequentretardation in the 'moveinent of the be'd,wh1'clrwould result it the air were not freely admitted tothe cylinder in the outward stroke ofthe" piston.

1n the devices shown in the prior patents referred to,-a singlevalveis provided for both the inflow of} air to andthe'outfiow of of such a singleair valve for each cylinder to relieve the piston from external atmospheric pressure-at the same point in its .outward stroke inward stroke,'.and, as the valve may not, in such cases, be opened 'at exactly the point m'ovenient. "of said piston regardless of the The employment of rotativ-e diskvalves, forontrolling-the air ontletfports, so arranged that the rotati've members Or-disks thereof bear outward against their valve seats, affords-the advaiitage thatthe valves are simple in form and durable in structure 'aiid'will always be kept tight, regardless of wearbetween the disks andtheir seats.

i giving oscillatory movement to the air outlet; valvesbelongin ."tO the two cylinders-at vantage ofgreatly simplifying the construc IDOtlQII from "the controlling orregulating device to the valve members. An important advantage is also gained by the special construction shown and described in the casings well as bearings for the valve stems and outlet passages for the air which escapes from thecylinders. H 4

v Another advantage gained by the con.-

struction herein set forth, as compared with avoids the use of air ,pipes through which the air is delivered in its escape from the cylinders; the presence of such air pipes having the disadvantage that tl1e sanie act bytheir frictional resistance to the passage ofairtherethrongli to retard the passage of air from the cylinders, so as" to interfere to a greater or less'e itent with the automatic ad-vai itages especiallyarisein the prior conhas this a-dvaiitagc thatthe'valve is opened 'The employment of a single -longitudi-. ..n ally extend1ng rock-shaft as .a means of tion ot'the parts and of. afiording a simple,- diii'able and reliable means of transmitting which are attached tothe cylinders and form the seats torthe air outlet valves'as.

control of-tlie, cushioning-action. These disair from the cushioning cylinder. The use that said valve is closed in itsin the outward stroke of the piston at-which' 0f the opera sure at the proper point in'tlie outward operation orposit-ion of the governor Weightsopposite ends of t 1e. machine, has um l-CL-f cushioning devices showninniysaidzprior patent, 1S":tl1al my present construction struction referred to becau of tho uneoue lengths of the pipes through which the air passes from the d ilerentcylinders, giving an irregularity in the cushioning action of ticahlesize, the force or pressure of the es caping air not only has-the effect of heating the pipes, but of making an objectionable noise. in the construction of my present invention, theair escapes directly from the cylinders through the outlet valves; it being understood that the hollow casings which cover the outlet ports, are made of suliiciently large size to -permit free escape of the air, and serve only to direct the escaping air downwardly and to protect the out-- let valves from dust, dirt or-ink that might fall upon or become lodged in the said valves. I

The feature of construction in each cylinder, by which the same is so formed at its lower part and adjacent to its inner or closed end as to provide a fiat, horizontal wall located beyond the pathof thepiston, which wall is apertured to form an inlet port or ports, and is adapted to receive or support the check valve or valves for said inlet port or ports, has the advantageof aiiording a simple and economical construction in a horizontally arranged cylinder, by which an upwardly-opening and gravity'acting check valve may be located or mounted in such po sition, and in such relation to the cylindric bore of the cylinder, as to insure the proper and reliable operation of such check valve.

A device of the general character hereindescribed may be'variously modified withoutdeparture'from the spirit of my invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the specific details and features of construction illustrated and hereinhefore set forth, except so far as the same may be pointed out in the appended claims as constituting parts of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. lln a cushioning device for printing presses, the combination of an oscillatory valve having an oscillating operating arm and a speed-governor device for controlling the time of operation of the valve, provided with an oscillating, laterally shifting arm, and means fortransmitt'ing movement from said oscillating-arm of the speed governor device to the operating arm of the said valve, comprising a rock shaft mounted to turn on an axis parallel tothe axis of os lationof said valve; said rock shalt be provided with two rigidly attached arias, one of which has engagement with the said on said rock shaft,

. "he valve, and QIQZHIS f transmittn to the other of said oscillatory movement only of said ing arm of the iced-governor device,

2. in one 7 rig device for prit' .a, presses, the combination with an oscillatory cylinder valve havin an oscillating ope-all ing arm, of aspeed-governor devicvided with an oscillating arm n j shifting movement in a plane at right angles to; the plane of its oscillatory movement, and means for transmitting oscillatory movement from the oscillating arm of the speed.- governor device to the operating arm or the valve, comp a rock shaft mount l to turn on an a parallel with the an f oscillation of the valve; said rock shaft being irovided with two rigidly attached arrtill one of which engagement with SStltl' valve-operating arm, ano a connecting" rod loosely connected at one end with the oscillating arm of the speed-governor. device and at its opposite end with the ot 'ier gid arni in a cus ioning device for printing presses, the coinbii ,tion w l, an osc llatory' cylinder valve her i ng an oscillating operzating arm adapted to turn on a horizontal axis, of

'a sp'eedgovernor device located at a distance below the level of the axis of the valve and provided with vertically oscillating arm which has horizontal shifting movement,

and means for transmitting oscillatory movement from the said oscillating arm of the speed-governor device to the operating arm of the valve, comprising a rock sha'lt mounted to turn on a horizontal axis parallel with'the axis of oscillation of the valve: said rock shaft being provided. with a rigidly at-- tached arm having operative connection with said valve operating arm and with second rigidly attached arm the swinging end of which is located approximately in vertical alinement with the swinging end of the said oscil inn arm of the speed-gover nor device, and an upright connecting rod. loosely connected at its lower end with said oscillating arm of the speed-governor device and at its upper end with the sw ging end of the second rigid of the rock shaft.

4. In a cushioning device for printing presses, the combination with two cushioning cylinders located in alineinent with each other, said cylinders being" provided each with an oscillatory controlling valve having an oscillatory operating arm, tnrni a on a horizontal axis, and a speed govcrnoidevice located at adistance below the level of the axis of the valve. id pr vided with a vertically swinging; o v inn movement in horizontal plane, a rock shaftmounted to turn on a horizontal parallel with the a qt-ion of said valves and provided with three rigid arms, two of which have operative connection with lac 'on' I afiiiz my signature in the v0 wltnesses, tlns 2nd dayef 1 ROBERT MIEHLE.

the operating arms of eaid valves, and a conas 111. Ven' 'nectlng rod loosely connected at; lts lower pre'se l end with the said oscillating arm of the l Septein speed-governor device and at its upper end 5 with the said-third arm of the said rock VVitnesses shaft. CILlRLEg-HgxPQOLE, In testi1n0n'y,; tlmt I, claim the foregoing EUGENE G. WARN. 

